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The Lake Banquet
Kittypet Food The bowl's contents rattled as Archie prodded it with a white paw. He bent down and took a mouthful. It crunched beneath his teeth, oozing with flavour. A bit dry, ''he thought. ''I wish I could have something soft. Sunlight flooded the room through a tall window, illuminating his ginger pelt. He purred, embracing the day's warmth. The perfect day for going outside. He finished his meal and pushed himself through the cat flap. The grass was green and springy under his paws. He nestled down and rolled over to feel the warm earth against his back. A white, thin face stared down at him. "Argh!" Archie yelped and scrambled to his paws. "Oh, did I scare you?" asked the cat, licking his chest fur, embarrassed. "I have a habit of doing that. There was this one time where-" "You ought to apologise and get out of my garden!" Archie retorted, his fur bristling. The strange cat flicked his tail tip nonchalantly. "I go where I please. My name's Kian." "I don't care what your name is, just get out of here!" "No." Kian turned away, his ears flat. He crouched. "Quiet!" he hissed. "Do you hear that?" Curiously, Archie listened in silence. On the other side of the garden, a thin squeaking could be heard. He gasped and hurtled towards it, but when he arrived it was gone. "Fool!" spat Kian. "You're not supposed to go charging after mice. You have to creep up on them delicately and pounce at the right time!" He gave a demonstration, and Archie watched in awe. "Can you teach me?" hr asked, as excited as a kit. "I've heard tales of cats hunting mice to survive! Regular food is just so boring in comparison." Kian's eyes twinkled. "Oh, I can teach you a lot more than that. Birds, fish, snakes, rodents you've only seen in your dreams. Say, how about we take a little trip?" "A trip?" Archie looked worriedly back at his house. "What about my owners?" "Every kitty per disappears for days at a time at least once in their lives," Kian snorted. "You can return home anytime you want. I promise to give us both adequate shelter and good company." Archie hesitated. "I guess trialling one day wouldn't hurt." "Excellent." Kian rushed to a nearby tree and climbed to a branch overlooking a fence. "Know how to climb?" Archie strode over to the tree and dug his claws into the bark. "I sure do. My name's Archie, by the way." Kian nodded, and leapt down beyond the fence. Archie followed him. "Everywhere looks the same!" he gasped. "How do you know which way to go?" To his surprise, Kian had already started to trot ahead. In a panic, Archie sped to keep up with him. "Where are we going, anyway?" Archie asked. "A lake, with lots of different environments around it. Other cats do live there, and they're not always the friendliest bunch. One time I was hunting fish when I was a few seasons old, and these cats took me in and gave me a bed for the night!" "That's very kind of them. Maybe we'll get a similar reception now?" Archie suggested hopefully. Kian purred. "We can only hope." Mouse The first night they slept in a tunnel. Over a meal of small mice, Kian retold escapades of his youth. "So, the she-cat had me pinned, yowling at me to never trespass in her territory again!" Archie's eyes widened. "What did you do?" Kian's sharp white teeth glinted in the moonlight. "I clawed out her eyes and fled as fast as I could over the moorland!" "You're so brave!" Archie gasped, his heart racing. "Did you ever go back?" Purring, Kian answered, "Of course. Like I said, I go where I please." He curled up into a ball. "Tonight, the only place I want to go is the mystical land in my dreams." Archie rested his head on his paws, listening to Kian's faint snoring and the distant roar of cars, and soon he too fell asleep. He awoke gently to a bright morning. Kian was sitting my the tunnel's entrance, watching him. "I thought you'd never wake up. You looked so peaceful." Archie nudged him affectionately with a shoulder. "It's good to have someone who lets me wake up on my own for once. Back home, birds always jolted me out of my dreams." "Sounds like you'll be having a lot of early mornings in the forest then," Kian joked, and the two cats set off, side by side. Soon they arrived at a dense, towering forest. Archie marvelled at the abundance of bracken and leaves. "Don't go any further," Kian hissed. "We must stay at the borders for now." He crouched. "Copy this position." Archie crouched down awkwardly. "No, no. Keep your tail flat and place your paws like this! Much better. Now, to practice a hunter's crouch, slowly move one paw at a time. Do not step on anything!" Gingerly moving his paws forward, Archie heard an approving purr from Kian. "You're getting the hang of this! Now, listen to the forest. Hear anything interesting?" A small rusting caught Archie's attention. "Ah! A mouse!" "Bingo," Kian whispered. "Watch." He crept forward until he was inches away from the mouse, and pounced. The mouse was killed in one smooth nip to the spine. "Now you try." His ears latched onto the scent of a mouse. One paw at a time, he edged forward, and pounced quickly. The mouse was trapped beneath his paws, and he bit it quickly, and it went limp. "Such an excellent start!" Kian beamed. Archie's chest swelled with pride. "We're going to eat like kings tonight!" "It's nearly sunset, so we have time to hunt more. Mice aren't the only things we can find here, right?" Kian purred. "Forests are rich with prey! I say we should also try squirrels and voles - they're both staples of this environment. But first, we deserve a good meal after our hard work. Tuck in." Together the two toms feasted on their catches The soft flesh felt heavenly in Archie's mouth. The Ruch flavours filled his tongue. I don't think I ever want to eat regular food again! Squirrel "Squirrels are a bit harder," said Kian. "They're flightier, and they can escape up a tree if you're too slow. Trust me, you do not ''want to chase prey up a tree! I know from personal experience." Archie sat down and curled his tail around his paws. "Tell me about it." Storytelling was evidently Kian's forte. He paced back and forth with long strides. "I was a season old, still a kit by my father's side (I never knew my mother) and we were playing in a nice birch forest. We were both travellers, and my father dreamed of travelling the world, and seeing as much as possible." "What happened to him?" Archie asked. "Went up into the mountains, said it was too cold for a young cat like me. I just kept walking and never saw him again." Kian's shoulders dropped with a heavy sadness. "So, me and Dad lived in this forest. I always found squirrels cool, with their fluffy tails and cool way of running. Naturally, I wanted to catch one. In the morning, when my dad was still sleeping, I spotted one of the critters nibbling something. I was creeping, but hit a twig!" "No!" Archie gasped. "Yes!" Kian hissed. "It ran up that tree, and desperately I climbed after it, but it was too late. My dad found it ''hilarious." He wandered off, and soon came back holding a limp squirrel in his jaws. "That was quick." Archie took a long sniff. He nudged the fuzzy tail with his nose. "Hah, I can see why you liked these things. Pretty cool tails. Can I try?" Kian set the squirrel down. "Go ahead. Remember: tail flat, quite paw steps." Archie nodded, and scanned the area. He caught a faint whiff of squirrel, and silently crept towards it, and crouched. The squirrel was twitching close to a tree trunk. Panic flared in Archie's chest. I can't fail now! '' The squirrel turned his head towards him. Archie froze. He pushed himself forward. His claws snagged on the squirrel's tail, and another blow killed it. He panted in relief, anxiety still in his muscles. From behind him, Archie heard Kian yell, "We're on the border! There's plenty of prey to go around anyway!" "You wouldn't know that, you thieving rogue!" a she-cat hissed. W''hat's going on? '' "I can either call my patrol to maul your pelts off, or you can drop the prey and I can chase you out of here," she hissed. Archie heard the ''thump ''of prey hitting the floor, and Kian had loped off. Archie followed him, running as fast as he could with the squirrel in his mouth. He stopped at a stream, where Kian was panting on the other side. "We need a meal, shelter and some rest," said Kian. "I'm glad that cat never saw you and you were able to get that squirrel. Let's go." Rabbit "Rabbits are fast," said Kian the next morning. "So ''you ''have to be fast." It was close to dawn. The sky was a nice lilac. Archie stared at it happily, and yawned. "I don't think I'm fast enough to catch rabbits." Kian's eyes gleamed. "That's why we work ''together." Tilting his head in confusion, Archie watched Kian draw a diagram in the dirt. "I chase the rabbit out of its hole, then I chase it towards you, and it's trapped and it panics, then you catch it. Boom, a meal for the both of us!" "Kian, I don't think-" "You are the only one holding yourself back. Plus, you've never tried catching rabbits before! Your statement is invalid." Kian whisked off, and Archie stumbled after him. Kian stopped, and sniffed. "There." He crept around, until he and Archie were on opposite sides of the rabbit. He burst forward, and the rabbit ran off, straight towards Archie. Archie's hurtled forward, and the two cats collided with a rabbit tangled between them. Kian grabbed it and killed it in one blow. "Not the way I'd thought the plan would go, but it worked nonetheless." Kian held the limp prey in his jaws. "The sun is coming up. Dawn patrols will be out soon. We have to flee." Together they trotted off to their makeshift den, wary of passing clan cats. "Take a bite," said Kian. "Be warned though: it's stringy." Archie took a bite, spitting out the short pale brown fur, and dived into the meat. It was stringy, but delightfully so. "This is delicious!" he cried. Kian looked up. "Really? Minus the slow pace and short legs, you'd make a good Windclan cat." "Windclan? What's that?" "In each area around this lake, there are groups of cats living here. Windclan is the group that live here. Each dawn and dusk they send out patrols to check for trespassers. That she-cat we met the other day? She was from Thunderclan, and no clan cat approves of others stealing 'their' prey." He shook his head. "A stupid system, really. Land and animals don't belong to anyone, especially out in the wild like here." "You've seen clan life, haven't you?" Archie asked. "Tell me about it." "Hmm." Kian rolled onto his side. "There are cats of all ages. Kittens stay with their mother for a while in a nursery, and the elderly cats have a den of their own. The warriors hunt prey and defend the clan, and train the younger cats, who they call apprentices. The apprentices hunt food to feed the elders and the kittens. Each clan has a leader and a deputy, and a medicine cat for healing." "It's like they're one huge family," said Kian. "Yeah. Would you ever be a clan cat?" Archie asked. Kian purred in laughter. "Oh no, of course not. Being bound to one place forever! Sounds like hell to me." Archie nodded. "Yeah, I can understand why. Maybe I'd be a clan cat if I was good enough." "What do you mean? You are good enough, Archie. You just have to believe it." Thrush "What's your opinion on birds, Archie?" Kian asked, basking in the afternoon's heat. Archie grumbled. "They wake me up each morning and I hate their mocking cries." Kian purred with laughter. "You know, I expected you to say that. Birds make a good meal though. Some dislike the feathers, but they make a luxurious nest lining. Just so you know, it's easier no catch them on the ground than in midair, though it has been done before. Maybe if you catch one I'll tell you my secret to that cool mid-air trick." His eyes twinkled playfully. "Are you challenging me?" Archie sprang to his paws. "Bring it on!" Archie was far too familiar with the scent of birds for his own liking. He picked out the scent of a thrush and crouched. It was hopping about innocently next to a patch of heather. Archie scowled, and shuffled towards it. He lunged, but the bird flapped about in a frenzy and took off. Suddenly, a white shape blurred past him, and he heard a vicious tweeting and fluttering of wings. Kian reappeared with a limp thrush in his jaws. "You're lucky I have a kind heart," he purred. "I didn't need your help, Archie protested. Kian blinked. "Without me you'd have lost that bird, and your vengeance," he added, green eyes glinting cheekily. "Fine," Archie huffed. "I just want to prove that I'm competent." "Competent at what?" "Living for myself, hunting my own food, living independently... like you." "Aww, you value me that much? I'm a role model ''to someone for once? I like that," Kian purred. "Yeah, and you should be proud of that!" Archie meowed. He pressed his flank to Kian's. "I consider you a friend, Kian. A good friend and travelling companion." "Ditto, Archie." Archie gazed across the moor. The lake in the distance rippled peacefully. "What's on the other side of the lake?" he asked. "Oh, there? We'll be travelling to Riverclan next. That's where I caught that fish, remember? And those cats gave me a bed for the night? We can have a look at clan life for ourselves if they have retained the same level of hospitality as last time." He started to walk off. "Hey!" Archie jumped after him. "At least tell me when you're walking off!" "Whoops, I guess I'm not used to travelling with others. Ever since my dad left me, I've been alone. I've made friends here and there, but nobody stays." "Maybe because ''you ''don't stay." Kian stopped, and blinked. "What do you mean, Archie?" "''You're ''the one who's always travelling everywhere! No wonder the friends you make don't stay with you." "Oh." Kian lapsed into silence. "I... I guess you're right." They continued side by side in silence. They passed an island. Archie paused, about to ask Kian about it, but Kian just kept walking. Across the marshes they went, until they met a sandy bank by a stream. "We're here," said Kian, and settled down by the bank, watching the water intensely. Fish "What are you doing?" asked Archie. Kian gestured at him silently to sit down. "Watch for the shadows of fish," he whispered. "You see one, and strike! Claws unsheathed, of course. There's two of us, so we can catch more together." "Are you okay?" Kian looked at him, eyes wide. "Of course! Why wouldn't I be okay? I was just having some self-reflection on the way here." Archie glimpsed a thin shadow and splashed his paw in. "No luck." "That's because you made a huge splash, and now all the fish have gone!" Kian hissed. Archie bowed his head in shame and watched the water again. "Aha!" Archie dipped a paw in smoothly, and a glittering fish was caught on his claws. "It looks like you're getting the hang of this." "Yeah, good for you," said a strange voice. "Now hand that fish over to us." Archie turned around to face three large warriors. Kian rushed to his side. "We're on the border!" he protested. The largest warrior shook his head. "Being on our border means being in our territory. The fish all belong to us." He unsheathed his claws. "I don't want any more arguments." "Wait, Beaverfang!" cried a young brown tom. "This is Kian, remember? He stayed with us for a night when I was just a kit!" "I don't care!" said Beaverfang crossly. "Are you being disloyal to our clan, Hedgetail?" "I'm being ''hospitable." Beaverfang growled, and Hedgetail stepped forward. "It's nice to see you again, Kian. I remember how the other kits and elders loved your stories. Fancy another night with us?" "Only if I can bring my friend. His name is Archie." "Nice to meet you, Archie! Take that fish and follow me, I'm sure our leader would love to see you." Archie and Kian followed the warriors and entered a triangular clearing. The camp was bustling with cats chatting and having fun. "I recognise that face!" A calico she-cat approached them. "Kian, you've grown so much!" "Thank you, Flutterstar. You haven't aged a day." Flutterstar purred in amusement. "Such a charmer. Who's your friend?" "Oh, this is Archie. He's a quick learner, and caught a fish all on his own today!" "While I disapprove of others hunting on my territory, I applaud your adaptability." Flutterstar dipped her head. "Come, Kian and Archie. I'm sure our medicine cat has some spare nests for you, if you don't mind the smell of herbs." It was late afternoon, and Archie settled down next to some reeds. A cream kit scampered up to him. "Ew, you're a kittypet," he sneered, scowling at Archie's collar. "How about you shut up and learn to accept other cats?" Archie snapped. "I swear, there's so much racism in these clans!" The kit blinked and scampered away. Kian padded next to him and lay down, their flanks touching. He set down a fish, and they both took a bite. "Cold," Archie muttered. "But... it has an interesting taste." He pushed it away from him and to Kian. "You can finish the rest. This isn't really my thing." Frog Archie was sat among a gaggle of kits. Kian was positioned on a rock, weaving his storytelling spell over his audience. Even Flutterstar was listening to what he had to say. "The fox had trapped me, I was clinging to a thin branch, the wind was threatening to push me to my doom!" Gasps rippled across the audience. "But I had to do something! I'm Kian, the wanderer! I go where I please, and that day I certainly wan't intending to go to the afterlife!" The crowd cheered. Kian bowed, scanning the crowd, feeding on their enthralled expressions. "I leapt right onto that fox!" he snarled. The kits screamed. "Luckily, my claws sank into its eyes, and when it was temporarily blinded I ran for my life and to safety!" Cheers erupted from the whole camp. Kian bounded down from the small rock, followed by the kits who started to clamber over him. I guess kits like him because of his lack of a collar. "Kian!" Archie called. "We should leave before midday." Kian dragged himself over to him. Archie could barely see his short white pelt under the mass of kits. "Oh Archie, can't we stay longer? People are beginning to like me here!" "You said you weren't the kind of cat who stays in one place," Archie meowed. "Yeah well, this place is fun! I could do without this pelt of kits though," he whispered, and began to shake them off. The kits squealed in delight, and Archie purred. Flutterstar trotted up to them. "Leaving so soon?" she asked, her face tinged with sadness. Kian shuffled his paws awkwardly. "I don't like staying in one place for too long." The calico she-cat nuzzled him affectionately. "Just know that you're welcome back here anytime." "You know I'll come back, Flutterstar. This place is too good to abandon forever." Flutterstar purred. "Very well then. Safe travels, you two!" Choruses of "Safe travels!" followed them as the duo left the camp. They approached the stream. Archie saw A frog hopping my the bank. "A frog!" he gasped. "Can I catch it, Kian? Can I can I can I?" "Frogs are hoppy animals," whispered Kian. "Try your best." Archie positioned himself into the hunter's crouch and slithered across the sand. He clumsily pounced on the frog, tearing a gash into its back. "It's so slimy!" he whined. Kian padded up to him. "If you don't want it, I'll happily have it. Frog is an acquired taste, after all." Hastily taking the first bite, Archie said, "No, Kian! I'm the kind of cat who tries anything once." He shuddered. "You're right, this is ''an acquired taste." Kian finished the rest in three bites. "Next up is Shadowclan. Very dark, very unfriendly. But we're big brave boys, we can handle anything!" He tossed the frog carcass into the water. Archie watched it float across the river. With one smooth leap, Kian flew over the gap between the two territories. Archie got a running start, and narrowly missed the cold merciless depths. Snake "So, what do cats eat in this place?" trembled Archie. The tall dark pines loomed over them. Kian shouldered his way into the dark forest. "Snakes, lizards, frogs. The kind of animals you'd see in marshes." Archie nodded along, even though he had never seen a marsh in his life. "What are you thinking of catching?" "I fancy a snake, if we can catch one." Kian was scanning the area. He ventured forth and returned some time later, carrying a long thin snake in his jaws. "Get a whiff of this," he said. Archie took a long inhale, and recoiled. "I don't think I want to eat that." "It's nicer than it looks, trust me!" Shaking his head, Archie said, "You could say that to fox dung and I'd still not believe you." Kian huffed. "you can at least catch another one for me? I'm not sure this will fill me up." "We just had breakfast!" Archie gasped. "'Breakfast' isn't enough for a cat like me." Kian flicked his thin white tail. "Face your fears, go in there and hunt down another snake. It's to... build character." "Are you saying I have no character?" Archie spat. "Just do what I asked!" growled Kian in response. Archie grumbled, and shivered as he ventured into the dark. The forest was quiet. The ground was soft and sickeningly boggy beneath his paws. He stopped and crouched low, his belly brushing the ground. He cringed. By a rock, he spotted the flat head of a snake poking out. ''Bingo! The soft ground masked the noise of his footsteps. He froze. What if it's poisonous? ''He shook his head, and lunged. The snake hissed, but Archie forced himself forward and wrapped his jaws around the snake and bit down hard. ''I got it! He trotted back to Kian at the border, and dropped the snake triumphantly as his paws. "Let's share this one together, eh? I do try anything once, and I do stick to my word." Kian nodded. "Follow me. I don't want us being spotted." He led Archie into a small wooden hut. "We'll be safe from Shadowclan warriors here." Archie took a bite. The meat was cold, and slimy. "Eurgh!! This is atrocious." Kian purred in amusement. "Like I sad earlier, some things are an acquired taste." "How do Shadowclan cats live like this?" he ranted. "This food must be poison for our feline souls!" "Calm down, Archie," said Kian, stroking his tail tip along Archie's spine. "Go have a nap and I'll finish this off, yeah?" Archie retreated to a corner, still grumbling. "Maybe you'd like Lizard more?" suggested Kian. "I'm not eating any cold-blooded animal again, no way," growled Archie. "Suit yourself." Kian padded out of the hut, leaving the snake skeleton on the floor. "It's been a while since I ate a lizard. Maybe I'll bring back an extra one for you." "I don't want any damn lizard!" yowled Archie angrily. Kian's chuckle echoed throughout the hut, and Archie lay in the dark in silence. Lizard "Here." Kian dropped a lizard in front of Archie. Archie ran a paw along its back, grimacing at the bumpy texture. "This looks disgusting." Archie stared down at it with an expression of utmost horror. "You said you try anything once. Now try this." Reluctantly, Archie took a bite, and immediately spat it out. "You're mean, Kian." "Maybe you should have a stronger character," Kian sneered. Archie lunged at him, but Kian was smaller and slimmer, and easily dodged the attack. "Woah, just the other day you were saying I was a good friend!" "Good friends are considerate of each others' boundaries and feelings," Archie hissed. He swiped, but Kian rolled out of the way. "Archie please, I don't want to fight you," begged Kian. "I apologise for what I said. You have a lot of character, Archie! I got out of hand for one second." Archie continued to pierce him with a burning glare. "I'm sorry for pushing you to do something that you didn't want to do. It was wrong and insensitive of me. I realise the damage my actions have done to you, and I want to make amends." Archie nodded, feeling calmer. "That is a very valid and heartfelt apology. I forgive you." "Why don't we take a walk on the wild side and cut through Shadowclan territory?" Kian suggested after a brief period of silence. Archie gasped and widened his eyes. "You must be mental! We'll get killed!" "Not if we run fast." "Your idea is still stupid!" Archie turned away from him and sad down. "Go do it yourself, because for once, I'm not following you." Kian padded out of the den. "Suit yourself." A few minutes later, Archie heard a loud yowling. Kian? ''He raced out of the hut, heart pounding against his ribs. A large she-cat had pinned Kian by a pine trunk. Claw marks glowed red on his flank. The she-cat bared her teeth at Kian. "I watched you steal that snake and that lizard! You mangy thief. Maybe a lost limb will scare you off our territory for good!" "Kian!" yowled Archie. He barrelled into the She-cat, but she didn't budge. She regarded him with a venomous gaze. "The second culprit has emerged. A kittypet, no surprises here. Such filth should go crawling back to your twolegs!" ''Twolegs? Does she mean humans? "Kian, run!" cried Archie, and he lunged at the she-cat, his jaws missing her foreleg by a whisker. Kian was freed from being pinned, and sped off along the lakeshore. Droplets of blood spattered the ground. The she-cat prowled towards him, her teeth glinting menacingly. "You also deserve some marks of your own!" she hissed, and lunged. Archie screeched as her claws ripped along his flank. He staggered away. Hot drops of blood sank into the soil. "Jaycall!" snarled a gruff male voice. "You've hurt him enough. Let him go." a large black mass slammed into the she-cat, and Archie turned around and ran for his life. He met Kian washing his wounds in the lake, and the two cats nuzzled each other. "I'm so glad you made it out of her claws alive," said Kian. "I think it's time we leave." Kittypet Food Again The two cats spent a day in a barn, patching up their wounds with cobwebs and resting. Thanks to the plenty of mice around, they were both fully fed and satisfied. "I think that's enough adventuring for one night, murmured Archie as he drifted off to sleep. "Goodnight, Kian." The next day involved a light journey across many fields. The bright sun, cool breezes and vivid scents filled Archie's heart with freedom and joy. So this is what Kian feels like. '' They passed the tunnel they once slept in, and Archie nodded at it, filled with nostalgia despite having rested there only a few days ago. ''Oh how time flies. They arrived at the edges of Archie's home town. Side by side they padded through the nearly-identical streets, swapping stories and jokes. The town felt unfamiliar to Archie after being in the wild for several days. "Now you can catch mice in your garden anytime! Maybe even birds," Kian added. "If you ever get bored of regular food, there's a whole banquet waiting on your doorstep, reminding us of the trip we took around that lake." "Oh Kian, you know I got bored of my regular food the moment I tasted mouse," purred Archie. "Say, Kian, where are you going next?" "Wherever the wind takes my soul." Kian sighed dreamily. "Maybe my next culinary quest will be about human food. I hear they cook animals with fire! And they add herbs ''to them! Isn't that wacky, Archie?" Archie sighed. "Yeah, I guess." "What's up, Archie? You look really down." "I just... I just don't want this to end. I'm used to you, Kian. I don't want to go back to my boring life after seeing all this that's out in the world. I want to be with you." Kian sighed. "Think about it, Archie. You have folks at home who are worried about you. They're waiting for you to return, crying every night. People ''value ''you, Archie. People need you in their lives to be happy." "I need ''you ''in my life!" cried Archie. "''I ''value you. If you leave me I'll be so melancholic, I wouldn't know what to do with myself." "Archie." Kian stared at him with mournful green eyes. "You know I can't stay with you. Deep down inside, I don't want to." At that moment, Archie's heart shattered. "You're my ''friend, Kian!" he choked. "Why are you abandoning me when we've been through so much together?" "I know it's wrong, Archie, but it's right for me, deep down." He stopped. "This is your place. I recognise the tree." "You're so selfish!" Archie wailed, and he raced up the fence and into the garden. He rolled around in the soft grass, eliciting whoops of joy from his humans, who caressed him with their large smooth paws. ''Kian's the real loser here, ''Archie thought. ''He'll never experience the feeling of being loved, or being wanted by others. He'll spend every night in miserable solitude, while I relax in warmth and safety. '' But in his gloating, a small part of him pined for Kian, his stories and his wit. Every night he'd gaze at the night sky, hoping Kian was wandering down his street at that moment to give him a visit. Kian never visited him again.